Salzburg Marionette Theater: Not to Be Missed
Now, AlteCocker has a love affair with puppets, but especially with the Salzburger Marionettentheater; she has seen them at The Kennedy Center in DC and she has made the pilgrimage to their home theater in Salzburg during a home exchange there.
This theater troupe is not to be confused with puppetry for children. The Salzburg troupe performs full length operas. They use taped music, of course, but children--unless properly prepared--may lose interest. There are no surtitles--and opera plots have never been known as easy to follow. For example in "The Marriage of Figaro" you practically need a chart to figure out who is supposed to be in love with whom and who is concocting the latest plot. These operas are in the original Italian or German so reading the libretto or program notes ahead of time is mandatory if you are not an opera buff and already know the story.
AlteCocker has to confess that she is in the very early stages of becoming an opera buff. Having said that, she can't get enough of the Salzburg Marionettes. Yes, the music is beautiful but its recorded; the puppetry technique is amazing. The marionettes are able to convey even subtle gestures beyond anything she has seen in any prior puppet or marionette performances. After seeing "The Magic Flute", AlteCocker brought binoculars to "Don Giovanni" and "The Marriage of Figaro" to get up close and personal with the marionettes. It was nice to see things close up, but she did lose the feeling that the marionettes were actually singing when she noticed that their mouths don't move.
Not only was the marionette technique spectacular, the sets were junior versions of regular opera sets with amazing detail including--in several sets--miniature chandeliers. When Don Giovanni descended into the inferno to be punished for his sins of the flesh, mirrors broke all over the set. There is no doubt that constructing these intricate sets takes more time--due to the miniaturization required--than constructing full size sets.
The Salzburg Marionettes are a special experience. Wherever you get a chance to see them--whether in Salzburg or on tour--AlteCocker just has one word of advice: Go. Sit as close to the stage as you can get. If you don't use binoculars it will look very much like you are viewing the opera on a giant TV screen.
Now, will someone please tell AlteCocker how they get those marionettes to unsheathe their swords in the fight scenes? It's simply amazing (Did AlteCocker say that before?).
The Salzburger Marionettentheater performs in Salzburg mainly during the summer and at other holiday times. They do have a puppet version of "The Nutcracker", at Christmas.
The newest "opera" performed by the marionettes is "Sound of Music". That one is in English, and should you be in Salzburg--with or without kids--this summer just go and see it. A production of "Alice in Wonderland" is a new addition to the repertoire premiering this summer. AlteCocker has not seen either of these productions, but she will if she ever gets back to Salzburg or the marionnettes return to grace the stage at The Kennedy Center in DC.
The foreign tour program for 2013-2014 includes a visit to the United States, but the cities, drat, do not include DC. For anyone in DC who has not seen them, they will be in Richmond, VA, in December and it might just be worth the trip if you have never had the opportunity to see them.
Other towns in Germany and Austria have similar troupes. If you are near one, buy tickets and go!
This theater troupe is not to be confused with puppetry for children. The Salzburg troupe performs full length operas. They use taped music, of course, but children--unless properly prepared--may lose interest. There are no surtitles--and opera plots have never been known as easy to follow. For example in "The Marriage of Figaro" you practically need a chart to figure out who is supposed to be in love with whom and who is concocting the latest plot. These operas are in the original Italian or German so reading the libretto or program notes ahead of time is mandatory if you are not an opera buff and already know the story.
AlteCocker has to confess that she is in the very early stages of becoming an opera buff. Having said that, she can't get enough of the Salzburg Marionettes. Yes, the music is beautiful but its recorded; the puppetry technique is amazing. The marionettes are able to convey even subtle gestures beyond anything she has seen in any prior puppet or marionette performances. After seeing "The Magic Flute", AlteCocker brought binoculars to "Don Giovanni" and "The Marriage of Figaro" to get up close and personal with the marionettes. It was nice to see things close up, but she did lose the feeling that the marionettes were actually singing when she noticed that their mouths don't move.
Not only was the marionette technique spectacular, the sets were junior versions of regular opera sets with amazing detail including--in several sets--miniature chandeliers. When Don Giovanni descended into the inferno to be punished for his sins of the flesh, mirrors broke all over the set. There is no doubt that constructing these intricate sets takes more time--due to the miniaturization required--than constructing full size sets.
The Salzburg Marionettes are a special experience. Wherever you get a chance to see them--whether in Salzburg or on tour--AlteCocker just has one word of advice: Go. Sit as close to the stage as you can get. If you don't use binoculars it will look very much like you are viewing the opera on a giant TV screen.
Now, will someone please tell AlteCocker how they get those marionettes to unsheathe their swords in the fight scenes? It's simply amazing (Did AlteCocker say that before?).
The Salzburger Marionettentheater performs in Salzburg mainly during the summer and at other holiday times. They do have a puppet version of "The Nutcracker", at Christmas.
The newest "opera" performed by the marionettes is "Sound of Music". That one is in English, and should you be in Salzburg--with or without kids--this summer just go and see it. A production of "Alice in Wonderland" is a new addition to the repertoire premiering this summer. AlteCocker has not seen either of these productions, but she will if she ever gets back to Salzburg or the marionnettes return to grace the stage at The Kennedy Center in DC.
The foreign tour program for 2013-2014 includes a visit to the United States, but the cities, drat, do not include DC. For anyone in DC who has not seen them, they will be in Richmond, VA, in December and it might just be worth the trip if you have never had the opportunity to see them.
Other towns in Germany and Austria have similar troupes. If you are near one, buy tickets and go!